Wood Chips
From the shores of Lake Superior (The Third Coast)
One of the central teachings at the core of our Cedar Tree Institute’s Tai Chi (mind/body) classes here in Northern Michigan is that balance provides a key for living a full, healthy, and integrated life. The current COVID-19 epidemic is exposing deep fissures in America’s economic and social life. Something about the very structure of our collective life is at stake.
Here’s a warning from Kim Stanley Robinson, a well-known writer:
“The (economic) market is like a blind giant dragging us all over a cliff to our destruction. The old rules of expansion, expansion and profit will lead us further into the spiral of our own destruction. The planet needs a reset. This is just such a time.”
What are we now learning to appreciate? What are we discovering about the importance of social relationships with and protection for the poor and most vulnerable among us? Will simply “going back to normal,” opening up restaurants, going back public gatherings and sports events bring us into a balanced world?
The forces of civil unrest are leading us somewhere. One place we can start is to reflect upon on how we are living with the natural resources around us, our bodies, our neighborhoods, our financial resources, and our friends. Let’s pay attention and bring the best quality and care to those parts of our lives.
Decisions will need to be made about those parts of our lives. Practical ones. Let’s help one another, respectfully and honestly, figure them out.
Jon Magnuson
The Cedar Tree Institute
“Wood Chips” is a series of brief reflections written by Jon Magnuson, Director of the Cedar Tree Institute.
